Carving-fork



(No Model.)

G. L. BUTLER.

Carving Pork. 7 No. 238,276. Paten'tedMarch I, l88l.

Inventor:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALVIN L. BUTLER, OF GREEN FIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARVlNG-FORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,276, dated March 1, 1881.

Application filed January 12, 1881. No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN L. BUTLER, of Green field, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Carving-Forks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to that class of carving-forks which embody in their construction a guard and a rest. As usual in such construction, I make the guard and rest in one piece, which, for convenience, 1 shall hereafter in this specification term the guard-rest. As usual, also, I determine the position of the guard-restrelativel y to the shank of the fork by a spring. In fact, the guard-rest of the present invention has as an integrant part a sprlngworking in connection with a shoulder on the shank of the fork, precisely'as in the carving-fork described in a patent to me hearing date July 13,1880; and this invention consists in a peculiarly-formed slot in the shank of the fork, adapted to receive the hinge of the guard-rest, in combination with the shoulder upon the shank working in connection with the spring-tongue forming a part of the guard-rest, to keep the guard-rest from becoming separated from the shank, and also to keep it open or shut, as desired, when once attached.

The invention consists, further, in forming the guard-rest, the spring, and the hinge in one piece withthe pivot-pin, extending across from branch to branch of the guard-rest.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a top and side view of a carvingfork embodying my invention, the guard-rest being closed. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same, the guard being open. Fig. 4: is a sectional view of the same. Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, views of the shank and guard-rest when separated from each other.

A is the shank of the fork, cast or forged with a shoulder, s, and a slot, at.

B is the guard-rest as a whole, having a spring-tongue, t, and two branches or legs, b 1), connected by a cross-bar, serving for a pivot-pimp, all cast or otherwise formed in one piece. The spring-tongue tof the guardrest B projects, as shown, from the bow formed by the junction of the two branches b b to within a short distance of the pivotpin 19,- and the slot at of the shank A is of such depth that the spring-tongue t will bear against one side or the other of the shoulder 8 when the pivot is inserted in the slot,

accordingly as the guard -rest is open or 5 shut. The slot at is cut, as shown, with an enlargement at the lower end, at more or less of an angle with the long or entering part of the slot, and from this construction it results that when the pivot-pin p is slipped into the slot a it enters the enlarged part, and is there confined-or, in other words, prevented from passing back into the long portion of the slotby the spring t pressing against one side of the shoulder s when the spring-guard 6 is open, and against the other side of the shoulder when the spring-guard is shut.

In order to attach the spring-guard to the shank, or to detach it when they have been reunited, it is necessary to so overpower the spring-tongue that it cannot touch the shoulder 8 while the pivot-pin p is slipped through the long part of the slot a. This may be readily done by inserting a small wooden stick below the tongue 23 and above the branches 7 b b of 'the guard-rest and forcing it toward the junction of the branches and tongue.

The pivot-pin extending across from branch to branch of the guard rest prevents the branches from spreading apart, and gives strength to the whole; but it is obvious that so much of my invention as consists in forming in one piece the guard-rest, including the spring-tongue and the pivot extending across from branch to branch, is applicable to a carving-fork in which the union between the fork and guard-rest is effected otherwise than above described. For instance, a straight slot may be cut in the shank, which, after receiving the pivot-pin, may be closed by a false semi-bolster pinned to the shank.

I claim- 1. The shank A, provided with the shoulder s and slot at, in combination with the guardrest branching upon each side of the shank, and provided with the spring-tongue t and pivot-pin 19, extending across from branch to branch, substantially as described, for the purpose'specified.

2. A spring-guard for a carving-fork, comprising the branches b b, pivot-pin 10, extendin g across from branch to branch, and springtongue 2, all formed in one piece, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

CALVIN L. BUTLER. Witnesses:

R. N. OAJIMAN, Jr., E. P. HITcHcocK. 

